Profumo affair, in British history, political and intelligence scandal in the early 1960s that helped topple the Conservative Party government of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Involving sex, a Russian spy, and the secretary of state for war, the scandal captured the attention of the British public and discredited the government.

At a party at the country estate of Lord Astor on July 8, 1961, British Secretary of State for War John Profumo, then a rising 46-year-old Conservative Party politician, was introduced to 19-year-old London dancer Christine Keeler by Stephen Ward, an osteopath with contacts in both the aristocracy and the underworld. Also present at this gathering was a Russian military attaché, Eugene Ivanov, who was Keeler’s lover. Through Ward’s influence Profumo began an affair with Keeler, and rumours of their involvement soon began to spread. In March 1963 Profumo lied about the affair to Parliament, stating that there was “no impropriety whatsoever” in his relationship with Keeler. Evidence to the contrary quickly became too great to hide, however, and, 10 weeks later Profumo resigned, admitting “with deep remorse” that he had deceived the House of Commons. Prime Minister Macmillan continued in office until October, but the scandal was pivotal in his eventual downfall, and within a year the opposition Labour Party defeated the Conservatives in a national election.

John Profumo.

John Franks—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Despite charges of attempted espionage, neither the FBI nor British intelligence was able to confirm or deny that Ivanov had attempted to entrap Profumo or to use Keeler as an access agent. Ivanov left Britain before the scandal became public, attending the Academy of the General Staff and later serving in important intelligence positions until his retirement in 1981.

Following her trial, in which she was convicted of perjury and conspiracy, Keeler sank into obscurity, though in 2001 she wrote an autobiography, which many considered an essentially worthless account of the affair. Ward committed suicide on the last day of his trial for pimping. Profumo began a career in philanthropy and was named Commander of the British Empire (C.B.E.) in 1975 for his charitable work.